to sustain a
claim upon the indemnity bond given when the duplicate was issued in
1864 we should be prepared to show that the second payment on the
original bond was made upon such a state of facts as compelled or at
least justified it. The passage of an act simply directing such payment
would alone not be sufficient. The bond directed to be given by this
bill would afford the Government no protection, since it only provides
against repayment of the bond in the future, whereas the payment we
should suffer from has already been made.

I suggest that an act be passed directing the Secretary of the Treasury
to investigate the entire subject with a view of determining to whom
this money should be paid, in a manner to bind, if possible, by the
results of the examination the party to whom it has already been paid,
and who should refund if another has a better right.

GROVER CLEVELAND.

EXECUTIVE MANSION, _May 30, 1896_.

_To the House of Representatives_:

I return without approval House bill No. 6037, entitled "An act granting
a pension to Mrs. Amanda Woodcock."

The bill provides for the granting of a pension to the beneficiary
therein named, describing her as the "widow of Robert Woodcock,
deceased, late a private in the Fourth United States Volunteer Infantry
in the Mexican War."

My action in this case is based upon the following statement concerning
the bill from the Pension Bureau:

The bill, if approved, would be inoperative, inasmuch as there was
no such organization in the Mexican War as named in the bill (Fourth
United States Volunteer Infantry), and the service alleged by the
soldier having been in the Fourth Kentucky Volunteer Infantry.

GROVER CLEVELAND.

EXECUTIVE MANSION, _May 30, 1896_.

_To the House of Representatives_:

I herewith return without approval House bill No. 4526, entitled "An act
granting a pension to Jonathan Scott."

This bill directs that the Secretary of the Interior place upon the
pension roll, at the rate of $72 per month, subject to the provisions
and limitations of the pension laws, the name of Jonathan Scott, late
of Company M, Sixth Regiment Iowa Volunteer Cavalry.

The beneficiary was dropped from the pension roll in October, 1895,
after a very thorough examination, for fraud, it appearing to the
satisfaction of the Pension Bureau that the disability for which he was
pensioned was not due to his army service. There certainly ought to be
a strong